1 C1 neutral
To pull back the skin covering a part of the body or an animal, exposing the underlying tissue.
"The surgeon carefully skinned back the tissue to access the damaged tendon."
separable
skin back
C1 neutral separable transitive
To pull back the skin or outer layer of something to expose what is underneath.
In plain English
To peel or push back a piece of skin so you can see what's inside.
What does "skin back" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 neutral
To pull back the outer layer of a fruit, vegetable, or material.
"Skin back the husk to check whether the corn is ripe enough."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To move skin backward or away from a surface — entirely literal.
Actually means
To peel or push back a piece of skin so you can see what's inside.
Usage tip
Primarily used in medical, anatomical, or agricultural contexts. Fairly technical and not common in everyday conversation. May refer to animal carcass preparation or surgical procedures.
Words that pair with "skin back"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
knuckle finger fruit carcass wound
How to conjugate "skin back"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
skin back
I/you/we/they
3rd person
skins back
he/she/it
Past simple
skined back
yesterday
Past participle
skined back
have + pp
-ing form
skining back
continuous
Hear "skin back" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "skin back" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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